Mailbox Monday and What I'm reading

I working on quick reviews of most of my audiobook listenings. I just don't seem to have much focus at a time lately (I'm going to just say I'm savoring Clash of Kings). Which is strange since work has been a bit non-existant this past week, so not had much doing there.

Mailbox Monday is currently hosted by Cindy's Love of Books.




From the Library

I also got for my birthday a Barnes and Nobles gift card, and cash to use at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books this coming weekend.

What I'm Reading is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey

Finished:

Reading:

Up Next:

What I'm reading

No Mailbox Monday this week. I only got a couple special dietary needs cookbooks, which are rather boring until recipes are tried.

For What I'm Reading, as always hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey....

Last week I finished:


I am currently reading:


Next I'll read:
(continuing) (reread)

I'm not sure what print book I'll read once I finish A Clash of Kings. One of my waiting Early Reviewer books or some of the YA sitting on my shelf I think.

I'd like to draw your attention to the sidebar at right *points*. I've added a feedburner link there. I would encourage you, especially any new followers, to follow my blog that way. Once I can get my WP layout up and switch the blog, I will make sure feedburner will grab the posts from the new address.

Snapshot Saturday::Snakes in the Desert edition

Snapshot Saturday is hosted by Alyce of At Home with Books.

Monday I was surveying out in Lancaster for work. In the late morning, when the soil started warming up, I had to quick step away from a hole in the ground where a small green snake was sitting taking in the sun. I wasn't going to check to see what kind of snake it was, because if it was a rattler, the young ones are probably more dangerous than the adults.

So a transect and a half later, I was walking down to start the next one and spot a different bit of green in front of me. That fella up there ^ (just right of center- and this picture has been fiddled with so it stands out more). When the other three caught up with me, he started feeling threatened and entered the defensive position you see there.

That was the last snake I saw luckily, but it cut into my audiobook time.

Mailbox Monday and What I'm Reading for April 2nd, 2012

Mailbox Monday is a traveling meme, and is currently hosted by Cindy's Love of Books for April.

Posting this early since I will be on my way to Lancaster for work not so bright and early tomorrow.

I got tired of waiting for one of the libraries to have The Song of Achilles. So figures that a few days after I bought it, guess what popped up on the LA county overdrive? *rollseyes*

I also got myself some Nook books as an early birthday present to myself. Pottermore Shop has opened, so you can get e-books and audiobooks for download. Alas, you cannot get the UK ebooks when you live in the US.

What I'm Reading is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.

Last week, I finished reading:

I am currently reading:

Up next is:

I'd love to have more to post today, but I've got a birthday party in a couple hours for my nephew and have to get things ready so I can 1) be able to leave the house by 5am tomorrow and 2)hopefully have time to watch Game of Thrones tonight. Will be working on another batch of mini-reviews of audio books for later in the week. And if you are curious, I did update my Where are you reading? page and map last night. Link is in the sidebar if interested.

Mount TBR Challenge Quarterly Checkin

This is the challenge that I've been slacking on. Library's fault, them adding new good stuff to Overdrive. I'm going to lay off them for a while so I can read more of my own books for a couple months.

1. The Kingmaking by Helen Hollick
2. Princes of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
4. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin (in progress)
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Mailbox Monday and What I'm reading

I've been monitoring in the desert the last couple weeks, so with the trips to San Diego, I've gotten extra reading done, especially of the audiobook persuasion. But the long hours have killed the mood on commenting and the like last week, so should be better this week.

Mailbox Monday is being hosted this March at Diary of an Eccentric

Book trade via Bibliophile group on Shelfari

Loved this when I checked out from the library. The author is supposed to be at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, so might see if he is doing signings.

Nookbooks:


Barnes and Nobles is having an Engrossing Fiction sale, so got the latter two from it. I'm adoring Finnikin of the Rock on audio from the library, so with the ebook cheap, I had to give in. It's under $4 on Nook and Kindle, so if you like fantasy, check it out.

Library:



What are you reading? is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey

Last week I finished:


Last week I gave up on (DNF):


I am currently reading:


Up Next:

Mailbox Monday, March 12, 2012

Mailbox Monday is a traveling meme which is currently hosted by Diary of an Eccentric

Several bloggers mentioned the Audible members sale, so I finally went ahead and joined, and got a few extra since I was eyeing some of the Juliet Stevenson recordings before hand (if you don't know who she is, she played Mrs. Elton in the Emma with Gweneth Paltrow, fyi)

From Paperback Swap:

This actually arrived last week, but I couldn't be bothered.

From Kobo:

Finally in the US Kobo store, and Kobo had a nice coupon, so I finally got this on my Nook.

From Audible:

2012 Challenge update

I haven't done a mass update for my challenges, so here it is for the first two+ months so far. I will add them to the original joining posts and link to reviews at that time.

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
2. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
3. Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
4. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
5. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
6. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini (in progress)
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1. Across the Universe by Beth Revis, audiobook
2. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, audiobook
3. Tithe by Holly Black, audiobook
4. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, audiobook
5. Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor, audiobook
6. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
7. When She Woke by Hillary Jordan, audiobook
8. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
9. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly, audiobook
10. The Postmistress by Sarah Blake, audiobook
11. Lady Macbeth by Susan Fraser King, audiobook
12. The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan, audiobook
**completed**
13. Room by Emma Donoghue, audiobook
14. The Descnedants, Kaui Hart Hemmings
15. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
16. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, audiobook

1. The Kingmaking by Helen Hollick
2. Princes of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
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The map gets updated periodically, so check it out so see what's been added so far. I will be updating it with a list of states and countries soon. See my Where are you Reading? map

Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Borrowed from the library
Audiobook

I've been seeing this around the young adult blogs, so figured I tried it when I saw the library had it. I liked the premise she used with her wolves storyline. Its a bit of a twist to the tradition werewolf story, which gives them more of a natural existence, for a supernatural being. Instead of changing once a month, the werewolves change when the weather gets cold enough, returning to human form when its warmer weather, but eventually changing into a wolf permanently.

Unfortunately for me, there was not enough focus on the wolf story line. The romance side of the story took over, and overpowered the supernatural side. It features one moony high school girl who falls in love with a werewolf teen guy. The story is told from both perspectives, so you get two voices internally wondering if the other likes them, how much they like them, and just plain thinking about the other all the damn time. It feels fake, and sugary and just not very enticing. There is also a slight stalker vibe, which almost always is something I dislike in books.

Another strike against this audiobook was that I just didn't like either of the readers at all. There was not much emotion or any impression that acting was occurring. It seemed more like they were just reading, with very little changes in tone. Plus the woman reading Grace's chapters sounded very young, and the guy reading Sam's chapters sounded much older than the woman, so my psyche was coming up with an unpleasant mental image. My dislike of the readers may have influenced my impression of the novel, but by the end it was difficult to separate the two sides.

If you want to try this one, I strongly recommend you skip the audiobook and just read it.

Review: Hearts Restored by Prue Phillipson

Hearts Restored
by Prue Phillipson
Historical Fiction/Historical Romance
Recieved from the publisher for honest review.
Publication date: March 8, 2012
3.5-4 Stars

Set at the start of the Restoration of Charles II, Hearts Restored follows Daniel Wilson Horden, the only male of his generation of the Horden family. On the day Charles II returns to London, Daniel and his parents meet up with some relations, where he is thrust into the path of three female cousins of marriageable age. Less than eager to be trapped into a marriage so soon, Daniel puts off his dream of joining the navy by following his father's wishes to enter the university. As a secondary story line, we follow Daniel's cousin Eunice who is raised by her widowed, Puritan father. Having a glimpse at the extravagant lifestyle of some of her Horden cousins, it clashes with the austere teachings of her father. Within five years, the characters are caught up in the war with the Dutch, the Great Plague, and the Great Fire raging through London.

I've always enjoyed stories set in the Napoleonic Wars and other military engagements around the time of the Regency, so the naval aspect of Hearts Restored. However, I was a little disappointed that There was not more of Daniel's live in the Navy. There was only a few chapters dedicated to it, and one major battle, but oh what a dramatic story in Daniel's life that battle creates.

It was an interesting juxtaposition between Eunice's life in a Puritan household, to Daniel's more (monetarily) comfortable life, and that of the wealthy Horden cousins. Most of my experience learning about the Puritans in history deals with those who immigrated to the American colonies. The information about Puritan England I found informative, and I thought Phillipson did a good job instilling some of the fear and horror over the plague and the Great Fire into her novel.

Hearts Restored has the romantic plottings one might expect in a novel set in the Romantic Era, but in this case the older women tend to focus more of their attentions on Daniel. They tease him, and try to force his opinions or attentions towards one of his cousins, and I found it unusual that these attentions were given so openly to a man. To be sure, they treat the young ladies in the same way, but for some they seem to have nothing better to do than tease Daniel about their schemings as well.

The relationship between Eunice and Daniel is sweet, but rather predictable, although that did not detract from the story for me. If anyone is looking for a clean read, this will work well for you, with exception of the naval battle. Overall, I would have liked a little something more for this to be a solid four star read for me. Aside from Eunice's father, all of the characters are of a fairly easy going temperment, so a little more of a fiesty or quarrelsome behavior could have lent a little more contrast to the characters.

If you are interested, there is a giveaway for Hearts Restored on Goodreads which goes through the 8th. Thanks to Knox Robinson Publishing for letting me read and review this title.